Endurance Analysis of Automotive Vehicle's Door W/H System Using Finite Element Analysis

In the automotive electronics industry, demand for low-cost, high strength-to in-service performance for electronic components continues to drive the development of vehicles’ door Wiring Harness (W/H) system for new applications. The problem of the fatigue strength estimation of materials or components containing natural defects, inclusions or in homogeneities is of great importance from both a scientific and industrial point of view. This article gives some insight into the dimensioning process, with special focusing on fatigue analysis of W/H in a vehicle’s door structures. An endurance life prediction of door W/H was calculated using finite element analyses. Endurance test data for slim test specimens were compared with the predicted fatigue life for verification. The final life expectancy of the component combines the effects of these microstructural features with the complex stress state arising from the combined service loading and residual stresses.